Door-spring



(Mode l.) R. B. FOUZER.

Door Spring.

No. 243,23s. Patented June 21,1881.

- WITNESSES T Ad. By mafi 8%- N. PETERS, "Mb-WWI, "Va-Nam D, C-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT B. FOUZER, OF BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA.

DOOR-SPRING.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 243,238, dated June 21, 1881. Application filed April 4, 1881. (Model) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT B. FOUZER, of Butler, in the county of Butler and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hinges; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a gate fitted with my improved hinge, showing the hinge with its spring attachment in operation. Fig. 2 is a top View of the hinge with itsattachment detached from the gate. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the spring attachment detached from the hinge; and Fig. 4 is a front elevation of part of a gate fitted with'the hinges, showing the spring attachment as placed when not in operation.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention has relation to hinges adapted for use on gates and doors; and it consists in the combination, with the hinge, of a spring attachment so constructed and arranged that it may be thrown into or out of play at will, and thereby make the hinge either operate as an ordinary strap-hinge or as a selfclosing spring-hinge.

In the annexed drawings, A represents the gate-post, and B the gate. The hinges shown at O are each an ordinary strap-hinge, with the meeting ends of the leaves bent at right angles to form a raised knuckle, D. The short leaf of the bin ge is fastened upon the gate-post by screws, or in any other suitable manner, and has an oblong aperture, a, for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

The adjustable spring attachment is composed of a stout spring-wire, which is twisted to form two coils, E E, the inner ends of the wire between the coils being bent down to form a bail or loop, F, by means of which the spring attachment is hinged in a small plate, G, which is pivoted upon a headed stud or pin, 1), inserted through the short hinge-leaf into the post. The outer ends of the sprin g-wire, starting from the outer ends of the coils, form two projecting parallel arms, H, which are bent at their outer ends toward each other at right angles and united to form an arm, I, the outer end, i, of which is slightly curved, as will be seen more clearly by reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Between the wire-coils E E, where the wire is crossed to form the bail or loop F, is hinged a hook, K, which is provided with a thumbpiece or handle, K. By pressing the coiled part of the spring attachment down against the hinge the hook K may easily, by its thumbpieoe K, be slipped into the oblong aperture a, the wood of the post behind the aperture bein g recessed to make room for the insertion of the hook. When the spring attachment is in this position (shown in Figs. 1 and 2) its projecting arm I i will bear against the long leaf of the hinge, which has a longitudinal groove, 01, in which the curved end i of arm I rests, the raised knuckle D of the hinge projecting in between the parallel arms H H of the spring attachment. Thus it will be seen that the hook K keeps the spring down against the hinge, causing arm I i to press against the long arm thereof with considerable force, and making the hinge self-closing when the gate is opened.

If it is desired to leave the gate open or to prevent the hinge from closing of itself, the spring attachment is thrown out of operation by detaching hook K from the short leaf or post-strap of the hinge, when the part H I H may. be slipped up over the raised knuckle D and turned down back of this in a line with the gate-post, or at right angles to its former position, in which position (see Fig. 4 of the drawings) it will be seen that the spring attachment is entirely out of the way of the hinge and gate, so as not to interfere either with the opening or shutting of the latter.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. The wire-spring attachment composed of the parts F, E E, H H, I i, and K K, constructed and arranged substantially as herein shown and set forth.

2. The combination, with the strap-hinge O,

having the raised knuckle D and aperture a, In testimony that I claim the foregoing as of thespring" attachment composed of the parts my own I have hereunto aifixed my signature F E E H H I i and hook K K and the pivin presence of two witnesses.

oted plate G, the whole constructed and com- ROBERT E. FOUZER. 5 bined to operate substantially in the manner Witnesses:

and for the purpose herein shown and de- ALEX. MITCHELL,

scribed. W. HOWARD OoLBERr. 

